General

Brochure "Know the Now Sound"

Group portrait of park rangers. Front row (seated) left to right: G. Edward, D. Youngblood, R. Hotte, M. Mullinix. Back Row (standing) left to right: J. McCowin, B. Wright, L. Manley, (unidentified), G. Hooks, and (unidentified).

Byron Nelson putting while Ben Hogan watches, undated

Cactus Pryor, legendary Austin radio/tv personality and author, was the featured speaker at the Hancock Recreation Center and Golf Course's Centennial Luncheon, September 1999.

Cover page from Texas Beach and Pool Association Silver Anniversary Celebration

Men, women, and children enjoy the outdoors outside of Elisabet Ney's sculpture studio. Bare tree branches and coats indicate the season is probably late fall or winter. This is the south elevation of the studio which is made of stone.

Photograph of five men in hard hats working in Palm Park.

Group portrait taken at Rosewood Park in 1930 that was featured in the City Manager Report published that year. Prior to the creation of Rosewood Park, African Americans founded Emancipation Park, a nearby parcel purchased in 1905 by the Negro Park Association, for use in civic events such as the annual Juneteenth celebration. But in 1938 Emancipation Park had been seized by the City for the site of Rosewood Courts, a federally funded public housing project, and Rosewood became one of the only green spaces available to Black Austinites. Over the next few decades Rosewood Park became the go-to recreational spot. By the end of the 1930s the park included a swimming pool, stone entry columns, a bandstand, and a sports field flanked by stone retaining walls - some of which was built by the Civil Works Administration. In 1944 a recreation center was constructed in the southwest corner of the park, and in the 1950s the pool was enlarged and a bathhouse and concession stand were constructed. Two decades later, a federal grant was used to expand the recreation center and in 1973 the Henry Green Madison Cabin (dating to the 1860s) was relocated from 11th Street to Rosewood Park. Each of these important spaces within Rosewood Park contributed to its recent designation as a Lone Star Legacy Park in February of 2019 by the Texas Recreation & Parks Society, and has a special place in the history of the park, and Austin as a whole.

Page from City Government Broadcast Series radio script

Group portrait of playground leaders. Women are seated in the first row, and men are standing in the rear. Beverly Sheffield is in the back row, 2nd from right. Beverly Sheffield's contributions to our community helped create and preserve many of Austin's green and open spaces that attract native Austinites and newcomers alike. His 40-plus year career in Austin's Parks and Recreation Department began in 1934 as a playground/activity leader and lifeguard and culminated in a 30-year stint as Director. As both employee and department director, his hand can be found in many of the park system's beloved features: the Zilker Garden Center, Austin Natural Science Center, the hike and bike trails, and the Zilker Christmas Tree. However, one of his personal favorites was the Hillside Theatre at Zilker Park, where he began a sing-song program in 1937. Today, the venue continues to be the popular home of summer musicals; it is fitting that we now know it as the Beverly S. Sheffield Hillside Theatre. An enthusiastic and genial man, Sheffield was also active in civic affairs and was named Austin's 1978 "Most Worthy Citizen," among many other awards. But it was after he had "retired" the second time--first from the City and then as the first Director of the Austin Community Foundation--that he really revved up to his final role as beloved cheerleader to "Save Barton Creek." Sheffield believed in the magic of the springs and worked tirelessly to make sure it was protected: "It belongs to the people and it should not be destroyed under any circumstance." He spoke extensively on behalf of the springs and conducted oral history interviews with many longtime swimmers, capturing their unique experiences at the pool. Many of these are included in the 1993 book Barton Springs Eternal.

Cover of pageant program titled "The Selfish Giant" which took place at Pease Park August 17, 1929